Wholly unique and deceptively punishing, Uurnog Uurnlimited is as clever as it is creative.

It definitely adds more than the two preceding expansion packs, but it’s still a slave to the simplistic mechanics that, for many, start to get old after a few weeks of play. [Jan 2002, p.60]

While it's not a must-have for current players, unlocking Faction's 300-odd new skills and discovering an entire new continent full of missions, monsters, and locales adds a lot of creamy icing to an already tasty cake. [Aug 2006, p.64]

Beautiful, well-written, and with an exciting finish, this is a strong start for Inquisition DLC.

World of Warships is Wargaming’s finest vehicle combat game, but its free-to-play model is getting prohibitively expensive.

An enthralling horror mystery that, outside of its relatively short length, doesn't seem to have suffered at all from the difficult circumstances of its development.

Intentionally and unintentionally thorny, but still one of the most compelling mystery adventures since Disco Elysium.

A beautiful 2D soulslike with enough bright ideas of its own to stand out.

For its $65 price tag, RWG makes a decent party game, but it would be better if it came with an extra set of gloves, because tediously wrapping and unwrapping the Velcro closures and passing them back and forth was a real pain. [Sep 2006, p.96]

It's familiar, but Crown of the Ivory King is still another gorgeous five-hour helping of Dark Souls 2. Cherish it—it’s your last.

Still as atmospheric and impressively grim as it was last year, but inessential if you have the original.

Addictive, if soon over. An intoxicating cocktail of molten merriment, Puddle is a glass-half-full kind of game.

An awkward story doesn't hold Capes back from being one of the best turn-based strategy games of recent years.

A smart, hypnotic city builder that won't leave you tearing out your hair.

Stuffed with content and pathos, Infinite Wealth delivers a near-excessive amount of urban crime-drama adventure.

This journey through a dreamscape of loss and absolution is unique, if a bit uneven at times.

A pachinko-roguelike that properly rewards strategic play. Terrific.

Thin and familiar, but it offers some terrific hacking and slashing. [Feb 2004, p.72]

Occasionally clunky, and sporting an unremarkable combat core, but offers an irresistible slice of stealthy co-op coordination. [Oct 2012, p.62]

This heartfelt, engaging reprise of a classic falls just shy of greatness due to a lack of fresh ideas and endurance.

With its rockin' techno beats, ARES takes me back to the days of the classic NES Mega Man games. [June 2011, p.77]

A leisurely stroll through a beautiful apocalypse. Rapture is stirring and heartfelt, but may be too slow and hands-off for some.

If only Stranglehold wasn't quite so formulaic, quite so tamed, and quite so short, this shot of Tequila would go down a whole lot smoother. [Dec 2007, p.72]

A nonstop tour de force of insulting insanity. And even though I should be disgusted by the potty humor and derogatory caricatures, I had a blast playing through it. [June 2003, p.74]

It's let down by lacklustre combat and some annoying enemy design, but Prey is still a compelling, beautiful immersive sim.

Not a feast for the eyes, but there's more than a meal here if you're a glutton for clever, cruel puzzle-based punishment.

Neo Can is ambitious and thoughtful, but it sometimes overshoots into something too bleak.

One of D&D's best adventures gets an endearing, if not spellbinding, rendition. [Nov 2003, p.138]

This hectic, multiplayer-focused Darwinia spin-off is as full of glee and spectacle as any RTS I know. [Holiday 2008, p.73]

3DoM might not cross over adequately enough to entertain adventure game fans accustomed to epic story lines, but then again, it just might--it certainly comes closer than any of the previous CSI or even Law and Order games. [Jun 2006, p.104]

Renegade's strongest asset...is the way it conveys the feeling of being at ground central in a huge, raging war. [Apr 2002, p.64]

The worst part is that Sands uses a save-point system - and wouldn't you guess it, save beacons materialize only after you've destroyed every last zombie. [Mar 2004, p.58]

The game's still a bit too repetitive for its own good, but its single-minded agenda makes it easy to fall for in brief, concentrated bursts. [Mar 2012, p.81]

Perhaps a bit too divergent from the Final Fantasy formula, but rich characters and spectacular combat still make it an impressive sequel.

God of War Ragnarök isn't the cleanest sequel, but it leaves Sony's angriest franchise in a great place.

A smart, blisteringly fun experience at its core, Tekken 7’s limited singleplayer campaign and poor tutorials marr an otherwise resounding win.

Immortal Throne, which sends you to Hades to interact with numerous heroes and villains from Greek mythology, addresses a number of the most common complaints players had about Titan Quest. [Apr 2007, p.56]

They've nailed the sensation of stomping around in a giant machine, but the F2P model needs an oil change.

If you want to make Total War: Warhammer harder, the Wood Elves are here to ruin your peace of mind.

It was buggy at launch, and remains mildly buggy even after the latest patch(v1.06), but, even so, if you're the least bit into the concept of a band sim, Shady o"Grady is gonna rock your world. [June 2007, p.56]

Weird, good natured, and pretty funny with it, The Good Life stands apart, like most SWERY games.

A high-concept, fascinating strategy RPG that can start to buckle under its own ambitions.

The graphics are lush without being garish, and the music is haunting and evocative. [Mar 2002, p.61]

Familiar, lightweight but almost impossible to dislike, this is an effortlessly enjoyable action RPG.

When the inevitable patches and mods do start shipping, Lock On is likely to transform from a stunning but gawky debutante into the Grand Dame of modern flight sims. [Feb 2004, p.82]

BHD has environmental richness to spare, and lots of flash and thump. [June 2003, p.64]

Despite all those flaws, Resistance's branching, 20-mission campaign dishes out some of the best gameplay scenarios yet seen in the genre. [Nov 2002, p.110]

This third Law & Order game is not only the most faithful to the atmosphere of the TV show, but also offers an engaging story. [Jan 2005, p.90]

Unacceptable bugs and slowdown detract from an otherwise great expansion pack. [Feb 2006, p.36]

A decent, if unremarkable, cover shooter, elevated by artful scene-setting and memorable set-pieces.

An entertaining but unambitious sequel that collects up the best features of previous games and adds in some interesting new twists.

It hurts to see an awesome game in a series I love be diminished by bugs. With some good patching, SFC III will be an excellent game. [Feb 2003, p.64]

Highly entertaining, substantial and a visual treat but with a slight whiff of Gorgonzola in the story department.

Not enough of a game to knock "Links" off my leader board. [May 2002, p.77]

A mean-spirited character leads a big-hearted game; you’re unlikely to dwell on its lore but its features combine well to create a satisfying stealth experience.

A genuinely enjoyable, gorgeous action-RPG that lacks the storytelling nuance of previous Dragon Age games.

A beautiful, melancholy action RPG that’s effortlessly stylish and utterly unpredictable.

Hack-and-slash addicts will enjoy the old-school experience. [Aug 2005, p.58]

Auto Assault's biggest issue mmaay be its lower-than-normal player population at launch. If the world doesn't attract more players, its post-apocalyptic setting may be more appropriate than the developers intended. [July 2006, p.77]

The freshest shooter to sprout in recent memory, PvZ is shackled by asinine DRM.

The steely smash-and-crunch of the combat merrily pushed me through its 20-hour campaign and beyond into New Game +, compelling me to ignore the rudimentary world and focus on those glorious moments where sparks, limbs and scrap metal fly with brutal abandon. Deck13 has come a long way, welding together a solid, structurally sound Soulslike that adeptly showcases what makes this genre special.

A wonderfully absurd tale of insurrection and kicking stuff in a cheery-looking world.

Gates is a fun game. [May 2005, p.67]

About as deep and immersive as naval combat sims come. [May 2002, p.68]

Entertaining futuristic aerial action, and a good value at the price. [May 2004, p.66]

That sloppiness nags at me because it blows what could have been a great immersive experience, but given that The Awakened managed to engage my brain without demolishing it, lets just say I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers. [Nov 2007, p.74]

One of the more enjoyable PC arcade racers to come along in years. [July 2003, p.84]

Gory and moody, The Callisto Protocol doesn't mess with the survival horror formula, instead embracing all its beats and clichés to tell a grim sci-fi tale that drips with menace.

Exapunks is a hacking game that will make you feel like a genius or an idiot—sometimes both in quick succession.

Smooth action blends seamlessly into smooth traversal, making this the better modern 2D Prince of Persia.

A rich, interesting, and honest experiment in history-as-game: If you're interested, play it.

A chance for PC gamers to experience the best of teh lat generation of console games. [Dec 2000, p.156]

It has a realistic edge and a hardcore, immersive feel. [June 2005, p.66]

Exceptional building mechanics support a game that sometimes feels like a chore.

A smart, unembellished survival horror adventure which rewards patience and inspires introspection.

An atmospheric world with deep, absorbing puzzles, Bonfire Peaks is thoughtful and charming—but without establishing its tricks, it risks leaving less fluent puzzlers behind.

The setting of Onomichi proves that the long-running series still has some tricks, making Yakuza 6 a worthy finale for its main protagonist.

A well-designed level that forces you out of your comfort zone and fills in some of Adam Jensen’s backstory.

It's too repetitive and easy, but Crying Suns story and frantic combat are worth experiencing anyway.

Thoughtfully-designed levels and versatile combat abilities make Katana Zero worthy of a rewind despite cookie-cutter characters.

Available online for 10 dollars, Armored Fury is yet another recommended addition to BF2. [Sep 2006, p.44]

A must-have for Medal of Honor fans, but we still like "Call of Duty" better. [Jan 2005, p.70]

It’s a welcome addition to the Crusader Kings family, but The Republic can’t quite overthrow its liege game’s throne.

Great fun, but tough to recommend until more maps are available. [Holiday 2005, p.72]

An entertaining game, and though it still can't quite match Konami's "Winning Eleven 6" on PS2, it's heading in the right direction. [Feb 2004, p.74]

Crash 4 is the kind of retro throwback that actually earns its spot as a successor to the original trilogy. There’s the occasional bandicoot stumble, but it's a responsive, precise platformer that looks as good as it plays.

The Inquisitor is a grim yet strangely gripping dark fantasy story, memorable if a little rough around the edges.

Absolute Power is a collection of small, but welcome enhancements--a splash of new content that doesn't change what the game is, but enough that anyone still investing hours in the perfect republic will love. [Sept 2010, p.84]

Definitely not a classic, but it's a fun way to kill time - and sheep. [Feb 2001, p.54]

As chaotic and exhilarating as Battlefield has always been. Just don’t expect a dramatic reinvention of the series.

The Godfather II doesn't trip over the ambition of its design - it balances the different genre aspects extremely well - but nagging graphics issues weigh it down, causing quest characters and family members to disappear or distort in-game and in cutscenes, sometimes requiring me to load old saved games to progress. [Apr 2009, p.82]

No, really—they've actually changed things this year, and the football feels better.

Great in places, but never quite lives up to its potential. A competent sequel let down by inconsistency.

These niggles aside, Need For Speed Carbon delivers an entertaining blend of racing, performance tuning, and professionally acted FMV storytelling. [Feb. 2007, p.64]

A delightful adventure with clever puzzles, a great atmospheric soundtrack and superbly stylized art. [Jan 2010, p.75]

Youngblood's gorgeous, terrible world is worth exploring, despite a slight narrative and oppressively boring progression systems.

Paradise conjures the same kind of enchanting story, satisfying puzzles, magical machinery, and exotic fauna that "Syberia" did, and signs off with and ending that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. [Aug 2006, p.84]

An admirable chess experience, with enough lessons to keep you occupied for ages. [Nov 2003, p.134]